Sunday, May 29, 2011

Super scifi, monster movie surf sounds. The recording is good, the songs are good, you can hear the guitar work and the love of delay, but it's still really "clean". Some songs are moving towards overdrive, but still very much a traditional Surf lovers dream.

Surf rock to the max, like Dick Dale on speed, the Pulp Fiction Soundtrack in turbo mode, like a car chase on Highway 101 with loud punk rock on the radio, 120 mph and no seat belt attached. Check it out at their site - link removed by request

01. Gimme Some Noise!02. She Looks So Cute I Wanna Die03. Thunderbird 10104. Let’s Go Down To Brighton05. Punk! Punk! Rocker!06. You & Me Under the Christmas Tree07. Ready For Some Action08. Lambretta Shake09. Watching The Blood In the Bull’s Eye10. Global Warming Party11. (I Burned my Skin In) Traffico Intenso12. Revolution? Maybe On Monday…13. The Revenge of the Cookie Monster14. Why Should I Walk When I Can Run?15. Ain’t No Fun Being Me Today16. Your Muffin Top Looks Kinda Sexy17. Insomniac Blues18. Yes, It Hurts, But I Like the Pain19. Beam Me Out of This Trashy Mo

In the late ‘90s and early Oh-Ohs, The Heatscores were the answer when it came to Saskatoon’s premier hard-rocking, instrumental surf-punk band. Billing themselves as the “Originators of the Hub City Hot Rod Sound,” The Heatscores quickly gained a local cult following for both their intense songs and incendiary live show. Put simply, when it came to surf ‘n’ roll, they were the best game in town.

Cool As A Corpse, Hot Night at the Whorehouse, Knife Fight At The Wier, Light 'Em Up, Rumbleseat, Shot Fula Holes, The Bruce Is Loose, The Bruce IS STill Loose!, The SUnset Flip, Top Fuel Mama, Vengeance On Wheels

Monday, May 16, 2011

Sinister Surf from the Shadows of Gotham by The Retroliners - New Jersey's finest surf instrumental trio. If you are a fan of Nirvana, Los Straitjackets, The Ventures and classic and modern surf instrumental music than you will want this.

Much cruder sound than previous releases gives The Retroliners a new edge and expanding borders. many of these tracks sound like demos, have occasional rough guitar spots, but deliver a garage honesty and charm. Others are very well developed and smooth. Phil Dirt

Eddie Hazel's only solo album has been out of print for too long, and is briefly available direct from Rhino's Handmade line (or was when I wrote this-- www.rhinohandmade.com). Hazel is of course the legendary guitarist from the first few Funkadelic albums, and is one of the most overlooked guitarists out there. The album really is a feature for Hazel's guitar plyaing, and many Funkadelic members show up to help out with this one (including Bernie Worrell, Bootsy Collins and Tiki Fulwood, with both Collins and George Clinton contributing songs). Appended to the end of this release is a jam session from 1975 with Buddy Miles on drums originally released as "Jams from the Heart".

If you're familiar with Hazel (and with "Maggotbrain"), then you know what to expect-- his playing is fiery, powerful, and inventive. Musically, the record moves through the sort of funk modes similar to what Funkadelic did, although all the songs here are quite loose to allow a heavy emphasis on guitar soloing--Hazel soaks in different tones, always with his wah-wah close to his heart. There's not much in the way of vocals on this one, but they're not really important. Check out the monster playing from Hazel throughout certainly, but especially on "I Want You (She's So Heavy)"-- words can't describe.

Odds are, if you know to look for this, you know what you're getting yourself into-- if you don't and you're a fan of P-Funk or you just love great guitar playing, this is a fantastic album. Definitely worth checking out, its just a shame it hasn't gotten wider distribution.

"Rest in P" is an essential collection of unreleased solo material recorded by the pioneering lead guitarist of Parliament/Funkadelic. It contains some songs from a previously issued CD titled "Jams from the Heart". However, you would not be disappointed to have both. Actually, "Rest in P" has complete versions of the songs "Unkut Funk" and "Smedly Smorganoff" from the "Jams from the Heart" and much more from George Clinton's vaults. "Rest in P" also has more songs which give it more of an album feel. The song "We Three" is the same song as "From the bottom of my heart" from the "Jams..". However, George Clinton adds some Keyboards from Bernie Worrell on this production which gives it a different feel. This song is the jewel set. Eddie showcases his strong, soulful vocals with his incomparable lead guitar virtuosity. Eddie "puts it down" on this one. "No, It's not" is a strong track that is like an instrumental version of Funkadelic's "Comin round the Mountain". "We are One" and "Juicy Fingers" and also strong cuts. The songs were likely recorded during his sessions for his solo album "Games, Dames and Guitar Thangs. The songs have the same feel and the same musicians such as Bernie Worrell, Billy "Bass" Nelson, Jerome Brailey, Tiki Fulwood and Bootsy Collins on Space Bass. This CD is essential for anyone into "P-Funk" and anyone who loves good guitar playing. Eddie "Maggot Brain" Hazel is in a class by himself. These two make the complete solo output of Eddie.

Formed on 1981's in the Royal County of Berkshire, The Surfin' Lungs is a power-house of high octane guitar-licks and super-charged Farfisa. Taking their influences from the golden age of Rock & Roll and Surf music - Dick Dale, The Beach Boys, Jan and Dean - but giving it a fuel-injected thrust combining it with the pop and punk energy of the likes of The Monkees and the Ramones, The Surfin' Lungs had their foot firmly on the accelerator and rammed surf music into top-gear as they took up where the original hot-doggers of the early sixties had left off. ”

“The Surfin' Lungs' 5th album of original music (plus covers of Jan & Dean's "Surfin' Hearse", Blondie's "In the Sun" and their awesome version of the theme from "The Godfather". Every track is a hook laden corker and spans standard hot-rod songs like "Go Mr Gasser" and "Cathys Lttle Coupe" Spector-esque pop like "Where Young Men Go To Cry" powerpop like "Summertime Radio" and frat stompers like the title track and "Fajitas". The Lungs vocals have never sounded better either.”

Tracklist:

01. Goin' To Rockingham02. She'd Rather Be With The Sea03. Their Car Club04. The Godfather05. Where Young Men Go To Cry06. Long Live Summer07. Cathy's Little Coupe08. Flashpoint09. There's Something Under The Pier10. Summertime Radio11. Surfin' Hearse12. Never Goin' Back13. Lonely Surfer Boy14. Fajitas15. Go Mr. Gasser! (Go!Go!Go!)16. In The Sun17. Surfin To Forget About You

The title says it all. Three of the finest country-style players come together again to delight listeners with some of their most impressive sounds to date. Every song is a winner, but two of them really stand out to me. "Ghosts of 42nd Street" is one of my all-time favorite Hellecasters songs and is the track I listen to more than any other on this album. It has a great jazzy sound to it with some excellent piano as well. Great work, guys! "Mad Cows At Ease" is the other stand out to me. It is a funny return to the wild, lightning-fast style they are so well known for. Only the second song I have with cows in it, the other being "Farm Fiddlin'" by Zakk Wylde. For any fan of the guitar out there get it, you will like it.

Guitar, guitar, guitar! The "Return Of The Hellecasters" features the ferociously hellacious licks and tricks of the three Hellecasters-John Jorgenson, Will Ray and Jerry Donahue. You won't find another CD, in any music style, packed with as many guitars and as much tremendous playing as in the Hellecasters debut. As well as some incredible original instrumentals, The "Return Of The Hellecasters" includes a cover of the bluegrass standard of speed, "Orange Blossom Special" as well as Henry Mancini's "Peter Gunn" and the Gipsy Kings "Passion". The strongest recommendation possible for anyone who loves guitar oriented music.

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About Me

Fun stuff:
Am a musicholic - I'm 52 -- I heard my first Ventures song in '66 and have been a fan of twang ever since. Of course all the other guitar gods were added over the years, along with a lot of other great music. I have been a DJ in my younger years on air -- WPFW and in clubs and currently produce a local television show about the performing arts.